21.3. Association Role

An association role is a specialization of an
association, used to describe an associations behavior in a
particular context. In the UML metamodel Association
Role is a sub-class of
Association.

An association role is represented on a collaboration
diagram in ArgoUML as a line connecting the instances
concerned. However on a sequence diagram the representation is
modified to reflect the type of action associated with the
stimulus carried on the link (see
Section 19.3, “Stimulus”).

The association role is labeled with the association role
name (if any).

An association role shows its name and the association name
according the following syntax:

/ AssociationRoleName : AssociationName

in the same manner as a classifier role. The more generic
syntax is:

I / R : C

which stands for an Instance named I originating from the
Classifier C playing the role R.

21.3.1. Association Role Details Tabs

The details tabs that are active for association roles
are as follows.

Text box. Records the namespace for the
association role. This is the package hierarchy.

Button??1 double click on the entry will navigate
to the item showm.

Base

Drop down selector. Records the association that
is the base for the association role.

The drop down selector shows all associations
that exist between the classifiers that correspond with
the connected classifier roles.

Association End Roles

Text area. Lists the ends of this association
role. An association role can have any number of ends,
but two is generally the only useful number (link
objects can led to a third end on instance level
diagrams, but this is not supported by ArgoUML). For
more on association end roles see
Section 21.4, “Association End Role”.

The names are listed, unless the association end
role has no name, then it is shown as (anon
AssociationEndRole).

Button??1 double click on an association end role
will navigate to that end.

Messages

Text area. Lists the messages that are associated
with this association role.